History of EU

Contents
	1946 - 1959
	1960 - 1969
	1970 - 1979
	1980 - 1989
	1990 - 1999
	2000 -

1980

January  1
Italy takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
February  27
St Vincent and the Grenadines joins in the second Lome Convention becoming the 59th African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) State in the Convention.
March  7-8
Signature of the EEC-ASEAN (Association of south-east Asian Nations) Cooperation Agreement .
April  2
A cooperation Agreement signed between Community and Yugoslavia.
April  27-28
A European Council is held in Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It discusses the problems linked with convergence and British contribution to the Community budget.
May  9
Thirtieth anniversary of the Schuman declaration.
May  30
The Council reaches a compromise agreement for the contribution of the United Kingdom to the Community budget.
June  12-13
A European Council is held in Venice, Italy. Four declarations are made public. One concerns the Middle East, the second the Euro-Arab dialogue, the third Lebanon and the fourth Afghanistan.
July  1
Luxembourg takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
August  25-15/9
Eleventh Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly, devoted to development.
September  16
Opening of the 35th ordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly.
September  18
The framework cooperation agreement between the Community and Brazil is signed.
October  1
The EEC - Association of south-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) Cooperation Agreement comes into force.
October  29-30
Mr Roseingrave is elected President of the Economic and Social Committee.
November  4
Zimbabwe joins in the second Lome Convention becoming the 60th African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) State in the Convention.
November  11
The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe opens in Madrid, Spain.
November  12-13
In Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Euro-Arab Dialogue is resumed at the political level.
December  1-2
A European Council is held in Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It decides on the aids to be granted to Italy for reconstruction after the earthquake, on East-West relations, on the Middle East and on the aids to be granted to Poland.

1981

January  1
The Netherlands take over the Presidency of The Council of the European Communities.
Greece becomes the 10th member of the European Community.
January  20
The new Commission, with Mr Thorn as its President, takes office.
March  12
The Parliament adopts its new regulation that will improve its internal functioning alongside bettering the taking into account of its advice and amendments.
March  18
The republic of Vanuatu joins in the second Lome Convention becoming the 61st African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) State in the Convention.
March  23-24
A European Council is held in Maastricht, The Netherlands. It mainly discusses economic and social perspectives.
March  30
The Council decides to increase the European Court of Justice's number of judges and number of Advocates-general. 11 Judges and 5 Advocates-general will rule in the Court of Justice.
April  26
Presidential elections are held in France.
May  26
Legislative elections are held in The Netherlands.
June  7 and 21
Legislative elections are held in France.
June  11
Legislative elections are held in Ireland.
June 23
Signature of an agreement for commercial and economic cooperation between the Community and India.
June  29-30
A European Council is held in Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It mainly discusses economic and social perspectives and relations between the Community, the USA and Japan.
July  1
The United Kingdom takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
July  19-21
A Western Economic Summit is held in Ottawa, Canada.
September  1-14
A United Nations Conference is held in Paris, France, on the least advanced Countries.
October  18
Legislative elections are held in Greece. At the same time the Greek people elect their members to the European parliament.
Mr Pierre Lelong is elected President of the Court of Auditors.
October  22-23
A North-South Summit is held in Cancun, Mexico. The urgency to reach a consensus on global United Nations negotiations is recognised.
November  7
France and the Federal Republic of Germany present the Genscher-Colombo Plan, a project of "European Act" to improve institutional mechanisms.
November  8
Legislative elections are held in Belgium.
November  26-27
A European Council is held in London, United Kingdom. It centres its discussions on the communications made by the Commission.
December  8
Legislative elections are held in Denmark.

1982

January  1
Belgium takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
January  19
Pieter Dankert is elected President of the European Parliament.
February  18
Legislative elections are held in Ireland.
February  23
In a consultative referendum, Greenland, which became a member of the European Community as part of Denmark, opts for withdrawal from the Community.
March  5
Belize joins in the second Lome Convention becoming the 62nd African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) State in the Convention.
March  25
Twenty-fifth anniversary of the signature of the Treaty of Rome.
March  29-30
A European Council is held in Brussels, Belgium.
May  30
Spain becomes the sixteenth member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
June  4-6
A Western Economic Summit is held in Versailles, France.
June  28-29
A European Council is held in Brussels, Belgium.
July  1
Denmark takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
July 30
Antigua and Barbados joins in the second Lome Convention becoming the 63rd African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) State in the Convention.
September  8
Legislative elections are held in The Netherlands.
September  15
Parliament celebrates the 30th anniversary of the first sitting of the European Community of Steel and Coal (ECSC) Assembly.
October  1
The framework agreement on cooperation between the Community and Brazil enters into force.
October  28
Legislative elections are held in Spain.
November  24
Legislative elections are held in Ireland.
December  3-4
A European Council is held in Copenhagen, Denmark. It sets out some priority objectives in the economic and social fields and confirms its political engagement in favour of the enlargement.

1983

January  1
Germany takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
February  7
The Commission sends to the European Council a Green paper on the forthcoming financing of the Community.
February  10
The European Court of Justice rejects the request issued by the Luxembourguese government aiming at annuling a Parliament resolution concerning its working place.
March  6
Legislative elections are held in the Federal Republic of Germany.
March  21-22
A European Council is held in Brussels, Belgium. It confirms the priority objectives set out at the Copenhagen European Council of 1982, that is: the priority objectives set out for the economic and social fields and its political engagement in favour of the enlargement.
April  27-28
A special session of the European Parliament devoted to unemployment is held in Brussels, Belgium.
May  28-31
A Western Economic Summit is held in Williamsburg, USA. It issues a declaration on economic revival and a report defining the subject of future consultations between the finance ministers and the strengthening of monetary cooperation for growth and stability.
June  3
First joint meeting of the Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs and Ministers for Education.
June  17-19
A European Council is held in Stuttgart, Germany. Heads of State or Government and Foreign Ministers sign a Solemn Declaration on the European Union.
June  20
The Court of Auditors sends the Council a report on the overall analysis of Community management systems
June  26
Legislative elections are held in Italy.
June  28
A ceremony for the opening of the historical archives of the High Authority of the European Community of Coal and Steel (ECCS) to the public is held in Brussels, Belgium.
July  1
Greece takes over, for the first time, the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
July  25
The Council adopts a resolution on the framework programmes for Community research, development and demonstration activities and the first framework programme for 1984/87.
September  14
The European Deputy Altiero Spinelli presents to the European Parliament a draft treaty establishing the European Union.
September 19
The Council and the Education Ministers adopt a resolution on the measures relative to the introduction of new information technologies in the education.
December  4-6
A European Council is held in Athens, Greece. It presents some options on the forthcoming financing of the Commission, on the budgetary unbalances, on the adaptation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), on the strengthening of the Structural Funds and on the development of new Community policies.
December  14
The Council reaches an overall agreement on common fisheries policy.
December  17
An Economic cooperation agreement between the Community and the Andean Pact countries is signed in Cartagena, Colombia.

1984

January  1
France takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
January 10
Legislative elections are held in Denmark.
February  14
The draft Treaty on the establishment of the European Union (Spinelli draft) is passed by the European Parliament by a large majority.
February 28
The Council adopts decision on European strategic programme for Research and Development in information technology (Esprit).
March  12
The Council signs an agreement on future relations between Greenland and the Community.
March 19-20
A European Council is held in Brussels, Belgium. Agreements are reached in a number of areas, however, the vast majority can not be finalised given the disagreements on the calculation and the amount of compensation to be granted to the United Kingdom to reduce its contribution to the Community budget.
April  9
Inauguration in Culham, United Kingdom, of the Joint European Torus (JET) in the field of research on the pacific use of atomic energy.
June  7
The Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States adopt a resolution on the reduction of border checks on people.
June 7-9
A Western Economic Summit is held in London, United Kingdom. The seven Heads of State or Government and the representatives of the Community issue a declaration on the measures to be taken to consolidate the perceptible economic revival.
June 14 and 17
The second universal suffrage direct elections to the European Parliament are held.
June 17
Legislative elections are held in Luxembourg.
June 19
The Council adopts a Regulation on the reform of Regional Fund.
June 25-26
A European Council is held in Fontainebleau, France. The Ten reach an agreement on the amount of compensation to be granted to the United Kingdom to reduce its contribution to the Community budget.
June 28
The Commission sends to the European Council a Green paper on the development of the common market for telecommunications services and equipment.
July  1
Ireland takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
July 13
The Franco-German Agreement on gradual abolition of border checks is signed in Saarbrucken, Germany.
July 24
Election of Pierre Pflimlin as new President of the Parliament.
September  26
A Commercial and economic cooperation agreement is initialled by China and the Community.
October  9
A cooperation agreement between the Community and the Yemen Republic is signed in Brussels.
October  18
Mr Marcel Mart is elected President of the Court of Auditors.
November  8
The Council decides to accelerate the tariff reduction forecast by the multilateral commercial negotiations (Tokyo Round).
November 14
For the first time the Parliament refuses to discharge the Commission on the execution of the Communities budget for 1982.
December  3-4
A European Council is held in Dublin, Ireland. It decides to reinforce the European Monetary System (EMS) and to grant the ECU a more important role.
December  8
Third ACP-EEC Convention is signed in Lome by the 10 Member States of the Community and their 65 partners of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States.

1985

January  1
Italy takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
The first European passports are issued in most of the Member States.
January  7
The new Commission takes office with Jacques Delors, a Frenchman, as its President.
February  1
Greenland leaves the Community but remains associated with it as overseas territory.
February 13
Gravier ruling. The European Court of Justice applies the non discrimination based on nationality principle to a French student who, wanting to study comics art in Belgium, must not pay higher enrolment fees than national students.
March  29-30
A European Council is held in Brussels, Belgium. It accepts the adhesion of Spain and Portugal in the Communities and agrees on the Integrated Mediterranean Programmes (IMP) as proposed by the Commission.
May  7
The eleventh Western Economic Summit is held in Bonn, Germany. The Commission presents two declarations, a political one in the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the end of WWII and an economic one on sustainable growth and employment.
May  22
The European Court of Justice rules on the action for failure to act submitted by the European Parliament against the European Council on the common transport policy.
June  2
Legislative elections are held in Greece.
June  10
The Committee of Governors of the Central Banks of the Member States adopts measures designed to strengthen the European Monetary System (EMS).
June  12
Signature of the Accession Treaties of Spain and Portugal.
June  14
The Commission sends to the European Council a White Paper titled "Completing the Internal  Market: White Paper from the Commission to the European Council. The Schengen Agreement on the elimination of border controls is signed by Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in Schengen (Luxembourg).
June  20
"A People's Europe" ad hoc Committee transmits its final report to the European Council.
June  25
Presidential elections are held in Italy.
June  28-29
A European Council is held in Milan, Italy. The Heads of State or Government approve the Commission's White Paper on the internal market and decide to set up an Intergovernmental Conference to consider an institutional reform.
July  1
Luxembourg takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
July  20
The Ministers and Governors of Central Banks of Member Sates adjust central rates within the European Monetary System (EMS).
July  22
The Council approves the convening of a Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to make amendments to the European Economic Community Treaty and to draft a common foreign and security policy treaty.
July  23
The Commission sends to the European Council a Green paper on the perspectives for the common agricultural policy.
September  9
The first meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference is attended by Foreign Ministers of the Ten and Spain and Portugal.
October  13
Legislative elections are held in Belgium.
November  12
A cooperation agreement is signed between the European Economic Community and the General Treaty for Central American Economic Integration and Panama contracting States.
November  28
The Economic and Social Committee adopts an opinion on the completion of the internal market (Commission's "Completing the Internal Market" White Paper).
December  2-4
A European Council is held in Luxembourg, grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The Ten agree to amend the Treaty of Rome and to revitalise the process of European integration by drawing up a Single European Act.

1986

January  1
The Netherlands take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
Spain and Portugal join the European Communities.
January 26
Presidential elections are held in Portugal.
February  17 and 28
The Single European Act modifying the Treaty of Rome is signed in Luxembourg and The Hague.
February  26
Marshall ruling. The European Court of Justice clarifies the principle of equality of treatement between women and men, including the dismissal policy.
March  16
Legislative elections are held in France.
April  30
Nouvelles Frontieres ruling. The European Court of Justice decrees that the rules of the Treaties, including the competition ones, are applicable to the field of air transport.
May  1
Third ACP-EEC Convention, signed in Lome, Togo, on 8 December 1984, comes into force.
May  4-6
A Western Economic Summit is held in Tokyo, Japan.
May  21
Legislative elections are held in The Netherlands.
May  29
The European flag, adopted by Community institutions, runs up for the first time in front of the Berlaymont building to the music of the European anthem.
June  11
The Parliament, the Council and the Commission sign a Joint Declaration against Racism and Xenophobia.
June  22
Legislative elections are held in Spain.
June  26-27
A European Council is held in The Hague, The Netherlands.
July  1
The United Kingdom takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
September  15-20
In Punta del Este, Uruguay, the Ministers of ninety-two nations agree to a new round of multilateral trade negotiations (Uruguay Round).
December  23
A European Council is held in London, United Kingdom. It looks closely into fight against terrorism, clandestine immigration and drugs trafficking.

1987

January  1
Belgium takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
January  20
Lord Henry Plumb is elected new President of the Parliament.
January  25
Legislative elections are held in the Federal Republic of Germany.
February  17
Legislative elections are held in Ireland.
March  25
An official celebration is held in Rome, Italy for the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome.
April  14
The Turkish Government formally applies to join the European Communities.
May  13
The Bank of Spain signs an agreement to join the European Monetary System.
May  26
Following the results of the referendum on the ratification of the Single European Act held in Ireland, the Irish constitution is amended in order to allow Ireland to ratify the Single Act and to deposit the instruments of ratification.
June  8-10
A Western Economic Summit is held in Venice, Italy.
June  10
European elections are held in Spain.
June  11
Legislative elections are held in the United Kingdom.
June  14
Legislative elections are held in Italy.
June  29-30
A European Council is held in Brussels, Belgium. It examines the various aspects of the communication on the Single Act.
July  1
Denmark takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities. The Single European Act enters into force.
July  19
European and legislative elections are held in Portugal.
July  20
The Council modifies its internal regulations as far as the triggering of the voting procedure is concerned. Besides opening a voting procedure by its own initiative, the President of the Council must open it upon initiative of a Member of the Council or the Commission, provided that the majority of the Members of the Council agree.
September  8
Legislative elections are held in Denmark.
September  12
The Ministers for Economic and Financial Affairs adopt some measures to strengthen the European Monetary System (EMS).
September  28
The Council adopts the 1987-1991 research and technological development framework programme.
November  10
The Bank of Portugal signs an agreement to join the European Monetary System (EMS).
December  4-5
A European Council is held in Copenhagen, Denmark. It decides to continue the examination, in February 1988, of the different aspects of the plan for giving effect to the Single Act.
December  13
Legislative elections are held in Belgium.

1988

January 1
Germany takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
February  2
A Ministerial meeting between the Community, its Member States and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States to discuss the internal market is held in Brussels, Belgium.
February 11-13
A European Council is held in Brussels. It reaches an agreement on all conclusions relating to "The Single Act: A new frontier for Europe" dossier.
March  29
The Commission publishes the results of "Europe 1992 - The overall challenge" a study carried out at its request by a group of independent experts to assess the advantages of the single market.
April  24 and 8/5
Presidential elections are held in France.
May  10
Legislative elections are held in Denmark.
June  5 and 12
Legislative elections are held in France.
June 14
The Commission presents the European Council with a Green Paper entitled "Copyright and the challenge of technology - Copyright issues requiring immediate action".
June  15
A cooperation agreement is signed between the Community and the members of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf; a joint political declaration is published.
June  19-21
A Western Economic Summit is held in Toronto, Canada.
June  27-28
A European Council is held in Hanover, Germany. It stresses out the importance of the social aspects of progress towards the objectives of 1992, it voices over the dangers threatening the environment and appoints a committee to lead to the monetary union; it also agrees to reappoint Jacques Delors as President of the Commission.
July  1
Greece takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities. The Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure, approved in June, enters into force.
September  26
A Trade and economic cooperation agreement between the Community and Hungary is signed in Brussels. The European Council adopts a declaration regarding the American law on trade and competitivity (the "Trade Act"). It expresses its preoccupations about the protectionist potential of the law.
October  7
The Community ratifies the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.
October  12-13
Opening of negotiations for the renewal of the African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) - European Economic Community convention.
October   24
The European Council adopts a decision establishing a Court of First Instance of the European Communities.
December  2-3
A European Council is held in Rhodes, Greece. It takes stock of progress towards 1992, emphasising the significance of work on environmental protection and the importance of developing Europe's audiovisual capacity.

1989

January  1
Spain takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
February  2
Cowan ruling. The European Court of Justice rules on the principle of non-discrimination based on nationality. It grants the same compensation benefits to a British tourist who was attacked in the Paris tube, as the one that would have been granted to a national.
March  13
Tenth anniversary of the European Monetary System.
April  5-6
End of the Uruguay Round mid-term review and adoption of further negotiation frameworks.
April 12
The Delors Committee presents the report on the economic and monetary union. The Parliament adopts the Declaration of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
June  15
General elections are held in Ireland.
June 15-18
Universal suffrage direct elections to the European Parliament are held for the third time.
June 18
General elections are held in Greece.
General elections are held in Luxembourg.
June 19
The Spanish peseta enters the European Monetary System (EMS) exchange-rate mechanism; the composition of the ECU is adjusted following the inclusion of the Spanish peseta and the Portuguese escudo.
June 26-27
A European Council is held in Madrid, Spain. It adopts conclusions on economic and monetary union, emphasises the need for balance to be struck between social and economic aspects of a single market and confirms that the environment is a priority issue. Under political cooperation procedures, it also adopts two major declarations on the situation in the Middle East and China.
July  1
France takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
July  14-16
The Western Economic Summit is held in Paris, France. It asks the Commission to coordinate the necessary measures to assist economic restructuring in Poland and Hungary.
July  17
Austria formally applies to join the European Community.
September  6
General elections are held in The Netherlands.
September  19
The trade and commercial and economic cooperation agreement between the Community and Poland signed in Warsaw, Poland.
October  2
An audiovisual Conference is held in Paris, France. It concludes with a joint declaration, by 26 European countries and the Commission, on setting up the "Audiovisual Eureka" to increase productivity and competitivity of the European audiovisual sector through closer cooperation.
October  29
Legislative elections are held in Spain.
November  5
Legislative elections are held in Greece.
November  9
The Berlin Wall collapses. The German Democratic Republic opens its borders.
December  8-9
A European Council is held in Strasbourg, France. It decides to convene an Intergovernmental Conference before 1990 to draw up amendment to the Treaty for the final stages of economic and monetary union. Heads of State or Government of 11 Member States adopt the Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers.
December  15
The new African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) - European Economic Community Convention between the Twelve and the 69 ACP countries is signed in Lome, Togo.
December  18
An agreement on trade and commercial and economic cooperation between the Community and the Soviet Union is signed in Brussels, Belgium.